Ayame followed Sokka down the steps. They were on guard duty, watching the prisoners clean up. Zuko and Suki were mopping the floors.

"Good," Sokka said, "You two know each other."

"We do?" Zuko asked without looking up.

"Yeah. You burned down my village," Suki recalled.

"He's done a lot of that," Ayame said with a teasing smile. Zuko ignored her.

"I'm sorry," he told Suki. "Nice to see you again, anyway."

"No offense or anything," Suki said as she came around, "Who exactly are you, anyway?"

"Me?" Ayame asked. "Oh. I'm Sokka's sister."

"You don't look like Katara to me."

"His other sister," she interjected.

"Long story," Sokka said when Suki scrunched up her boss in confusion. "I'll explain later."

Sokka had a brilliant plan. He'd explained it to Ayame about the cooler and the insulation system, but she listened intently as he informed Zuko and Suki. Everything went well until they realized that they hadn't been the only ones listening.

"I want in on this plan you're hatching," Chit Sang stood before us.

Sokka opened his mouth to say something, but Ayame cut him off. "If you say, 'The only thing we're hatching is an egg', I will kill you right here." His mouth snapped shut.

"You can't be in on something that doesn't exist," Zuko tried, but Chit Sang rolled his eyes.

"Save it. I'm in, or I'm telling the warden," he said.

"Fine. I guess we have no choice," Suki muttered. 

"Now what do we do?" Ayame asked. 

"We need a distraction." Sokka handed Zuko a wrench, which he hid under his shirt. 

"Distraction? That's my middle name," Chit Sang grinned. And then the plan rolled into action.

Zuko stood up, walking towards the middle of the floor. Chit stood next to him, and then Zuko pushed him. "Hey, get out of the way!"

"Why don't you get out of the way?" Chit Sang pushed him back. This went on a couple of times, until Zuko punched him in the face. Now, he just had to firebend.

But then Ayame came through. Zuko's jaw dropped. Why the hell was she dressed as a prisoner? Her loose clothing hung around her, and her hair dropped over her shoulders. 

"Why don't you both get out of the way?" And then she rotated her hands, thrusting out with her palms. A fire ball nearly singed the hair off of Zuko's head. The shock on Sokka and Suki's faces were clear; they had no idea what she was up to.

"What are you doing?" Zuko mouthed, furious. She would never be able to last the harsh temperatures of the cooler.

"I'm a waterbender," she hissed. "I can handle it."

"Hey! No firebending. Take her to the cooler," the guard pointed at Sokka. Sokka walked over to Ayame, pulling her arms behind her back. Zuko saw him lean in and whisper something in her ear, and then she was taken. 

Damn it, damn it, Ayame. You are so stupid. 

Zuko waited in his cell for hours. By now, she would've frozen to death. Ayame did stuff without thinking. She was just so . . . 

"Zuko!" Sokka hissed through the little gap in the metal door.

"Yeah?" Zuko got to his feet quickly. "How's she?"

"She's out. Blue, but she made it."

"She didn't even have the wrench. How did she get the cooler unscrewed?"

"She's a waterbender," Sokka grinned. "She's surrounded by ice. Waterbenders are amazing."

Zuko slumped against the door, relieved. "What now?"

"I'll meet you near the lake in an hour, okay?"

"Okay." Zuko heard Sokka's footsteps walk away, but then they stopped. More than one pair of shoes were clicking towards his direction.

"Hey, did you hear?" they asked. 

"Hear what?" Sokka's voice wavered. "What's going on?"

"We're getting a new arrival of prisoners tomorrow," the female guard said. "It's going to be great. I heard there were some crazy benders in the lot. Oh, and some war prisoners." Zuko felt his stomach drop. 

"War prisoners?" Sokka squeaked.

"Yup. And a pirate, I think," the other guard said. "Hey, don't look so freaked out," they laughed as the footsteps resumed, "nothing we can't handle."

They met outside. 

"You guys need to go," Sokka said as Ayame and him rolled down the cooler. Sweat trickled down their faces. It was hot. Too hot.

"What do you mean, 'You need to go'?" Suki wiped her forehead with the back of her arm. "Don't you mean 'we need to go'?"

"No. There's a chance my father's here and I'm not risking your lives by making you stay one more night. You have to go."

"There is no way I'm going," Suki said with a smile. "I'm not leaving you here."

"Suki!"

"No." 

"I'm not going then, either," Mei huffed, putting her hands on her hips. "No way."

"And there is no way I'm letting you stay," Zuko reached for her arm. She pushed him hands away, and Zuko realized her fingers were still cold. So he took her hand. "You see that? That's what happens when you follow me everywhere. You get sick."

"I don't care. I'm staying with you all. You need my help."

"No. Get in the cooler, now. And do not follow me again."

"Zuko—"

"Cooler. Now."

"I don't know about you, but me and my gang are getting out," Chit Sang appeared, pushing the cooler into the water. A girl and a guy stood behind him, hopping in as soon as it touched the water. Chit followed.

"Get in, Ayame." Zuko opened his arms wide to block any means of escape. She tried ducking under his arm, but he caught her by the waist, pulling her against his chest as she failed her arms and legs. "I said no."

She cried out in frustration. "You're making me really angry right now."

Zuko didn't budge.

"Why can't you be more like Sokka? He's so sweet. He just listens to whatever Suki says."

Zuko exhaled. "I'm not Sokka."

"I want to hit you."

"We don't have time. Get in and find a way back." Zuko said. "I'll carry you in if I have to." 

Finally, Ayame turned around and climbed in, not bothering to sit down. Zuko pushed the edge of the cooler and watch it float away. Ayame had her arms crossed, standing up, her eyes narrowed at him. He turned, walking up the rocky hill, back towards the prison. 

"Oh, no," he heard Sokka mutter once they reached the top. "Don't feel bad, though. There was no way you could stop her, Zuko."

Zuko looked over his shoulder only to see her surfing through the boiling lake on an ice board. It took him all the strength in the world to keep from yelling, Damn it, Mei!

The ice board was getting smaller and smaller due to the heat. It was disappearing so quickly, he was sure she'd fall right in any second. But at the last moment, four feet away from the edge, she took a leap of faith, slamming into the ground and tumbling over, rolling, and then standing up. She bowed as if she'd given an amazing performance, and then climbed up with them, standing next to Zuko.

"You might as well tell me that you're breaking up with me now, because I'm never going to listen to you," she smiled, putting her hands on her hips, though she was out of breath.

Zuko stared at her wordlessly, and then a loud scream was heard. 

"Chit Sang probably fell over. He was trying to make the boat move faster and splashed me," Ayame showed them the burn on her arm. "I never knew getting even a burn this small would be this painful." She looked at Zuko, her eyes sad. Zuko looked away.

"We better get going," Sokka interrupted their touching moment. "The guards heard the scream." As if on cue, the warning bells started ringing. 

And then they were running.

Zuko returned to his cell, which was four cells down from Ayame's. Sokka had gone to check up on the war prisoners and see if his father was there.

He was hoping to the spirits that Sokka's dad would be here. Sokka deserved it.

He didn't want to admit it, but when Sokka had appeared in front of his door, excited, Zuko had been sound asleep. Sokka's enthusiastic pounding on the door had woken him up.

"I saw Dad! He's here!"

"Really? Have you talked to him?"

"Not yet. I'm on my way," he said. "I have a plan."

"Great. You better hurry, though. If I stay here any longer, someone's going to kill me."

"Meet me in the yard in an hour, okay?"

"Okay."

Zuko heard him walk away. Moments later, two guards appeared in the doorway. "Come on," they ordered.

"Why?"

"Don't ask questions."

Too late, Sokka. 

Zuko was thrown into an empty cell. "Why are you doing this? I haven't done anything!"

"Oh, Zuko," a voice said behind him. "We all know that's a lie."

"Mai?" Zuko turned, his back pressing against the wall. "Look, I didn't mean to hurt you," Zuko protested, but Mai wasn't in the mood to listen.

"Says the guy who ripped out my heart," she muttered. "You told me you loved me, and then you just left. And left this stupid letter behind. Want me to read it to you?"

"No."

"Dear Mai," she began, "This isn't about you. This is about my duty to my country."

"Stop."

Your duty?" Mai laughed. "You're betraying your country. You're right, you know," she shook her head. "This isn't about me. This is about her, isn't it. Ayame?"

He wanted to get out of here. He was going to say no. But he needed to be honest, unlike last time, when he'd hurt Ayame by saying that one word. 'No'.

So he said, "Yes. It is." She deserved the truth, at least.

"I knew it." she said glumly. She sat on the chair, putting her head in her hands. "Okay. Okay." She tried to keep her face straight. "I just want to know one thing." Zuko didn't speak, so she continued. "I want to know if you ever really loved me. When we sat together those days you came back. Going to those parties. When you used to smile at me like that, the way you do when you see her now. But before you met her. Did you ever actually mean it?"

Zuko knew his answer would end things with Mai forever, so he thought carefully before he replied. His chest was hurting. And he answered her.

"Yes, I did," he said, his shoulders slumping. "I definitely did. But things changed, Mai. I'm sorry for the way things turned out. I loved you."

"But you left." Mai kept her natural cool. "Why don't you say anything?"

"I have nothing to say." Her broken heart showed in her eyes. Zuko walked over to her. She couldn't help but reach up to touch the scar on his face proably for the last time ever. 

"So are you saying goodbye?" she asked. 

"I have to say goodbye." 

She pulled away from him, crossing her arms over chest. She turned away and stood there in silence.

She was frustrated. He was stupid. She still loved him, and he didn't know what to say to her feelings, because once he'd felt that way too. Jealous. Overprotective.

Now he felt those feelings for someone else.

Suddenly, the door behind him rolled open, light shining into the dark room. He blinked, trying to figure out what was going on. Prisoners were running past. All the doors had opened.

He looked at Mai in confusion, who looked as confused herself. And then a shadow stopped in front of the door. "Zuko! The guards are coming. Come on!"

It was Ayame. He faced her. Zuko's chest panged for a second, when he looked over his shoulder at Mai. Ayame's mouth dropped open. Behind her, a guard grabbed her shoulders. Zuko's reflexes kicked in and he punched fire. Ayame ducked, and the man was thrown of his feet.

"Zuko," her voice wavered as if she didn't believe he was going to come with her. "Let's go."

This time, he didn't look over his shoulder. He ran, turning around and slamming the door shut with his leg, locking it securely. Mai slammed her fists against the door.

"Don't you dare, Zuko."

But Zuko looked one last time into her dark eyes through the narrow slit in the door, those eyes that didn't dare water, and then he looked at Ayame. "Let's go."

Sokka had started a riot. He'd called a guy 'ugly', and then people were chanting, "Fight, fight, fight!" One guy tripped into another, another guy into another, and then hell had broken loose. Zuko flipped a guy over his back.

"Okay. So now how do we get the warden?" Zuko asked.

"Uh, I'm not sure," Sokka chuckled nervously.

"Ugh!" Zuko yelled. "I thought you thought this through!"

"You're the one who said not to always think things through!" Sokka yelled back.

"This is different!" Zuko said, facepalming.

"Actually, it looks like the girls are already on it," Hakoda pointed.

Ayame and Suki were moving in sync, jumping on heads and leaping onto the edge of the building. They climbed as easily as spiders, latching their shoes in any crevice on the building. Their feet caught in the rails, swinging up and using their arms to hold up their body weight, upside down.

Ayame landed first, standing in front of the warden with a smirk as a guard tried to grab at her. She bent down, grabbed his knees, and flipped him over the edge of the railing. All while Suki grabbed the warden, tied his mouth with his own crown and grabbed the cuffs that Ayame threw at her from the overthrown guard's pocket. She cuffed his hands, Ayame tying his ankles with her belt.

By the time the rest of the team had caught up, they were out of breath. Ayame had her foot on the Warden's knees like a trophy, Suki with her hand on his shoulder, her ankles crossed, a smile on her face.

"Those . . . are some girls," Hakoda said, breathlessly.

"Tell me about it," Zuko and Sokka said in unison. They grinned at each other.

They were halfway out. 

"We have the warden," Zuko yelled, Hakoda tossing the Warden over his shoulder. "Move out of the way."

With everyone safe in the gondola, Zuko walked backwards, slamming his foot onto the lever and breaking it. He ran as fast as he could as the gondola started moving, jumping, his arms flailing. It was a do or die situation.

But his hand grabbed onto Sokka's and they pulled him up. Out of breath, he leaned against the door.

"That's not safe," Ayame pulled him away gently. He didn't fight, only smiled at her, rememebering what Mai had said, "You smiled at me the way you smile at her." He put his arm around her shoulders. 

"Yeah, you're telling me." He rolled his eyes, and she laughed. 

"You were great up there," he said.

Ayame opened her mouth to reply, but suddenly, Hakoda interrupted them, leaning out the window of the gondola.

"Who's that?"

Zuko let go of Ayame's shoulders, looking out. "Oh, no," he groaned.

"What is it?" Ayame joined them. Zuko's gaze fell onto Ayame's face. A wave of panic washed over her face. "Oh, no, no, no," she whispered. 

"What now?" Sokka asked, tiredly.

Ayame looked at him with dread. 

"Azula."

And then she was hurtling towards them on a fiery inferno.